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judged his resolve. The Tres she knew was stubborn as a mule and she didn’t know if the quality had changed, but she didn’t want to challenge him under the likely watchful eyes of Esther and probably Russ too. “A bit childish ... but all right.”
    Tres moved seemingly pleased to have already won the battle.
    Jenna got in her rental car, started the engine and shoved the gear into reverse.
    “Well,” he said, leaning into the open window, “when can I meet you?”
    “When pigs sprout wings and cross the Atlantic,” she said and immediately gunned the engine, spraying up rocks and sand.
    Tres leaped backward. “What the hell?”
    The car sped down the sand-covered road, skidding on the final turn.
    ***
    He stood alone in the parking lot for several minutes, hands on hips, head shaking. He was the one who had the right to be angry…not her. Esther said she was single, but maybe “single” meant the vast degrees of separated or divorced with complicating circumstances. Maybe Jenna couldn’t talk to him because of Jake. But hell, why not just say that? Why treat him like he had the plague?
    “Sad to say it, but that don’t surprise me much. Don’t take it personal son,” Russ said, joining him in the parking lot.
    He slowly turned to him and admitted with a shake of his head, “Don’t know if I’ll ever understand women, Russ. Especially that one. She damn near ran me over.”
    “Don’t feel too bad, son. Jenna shoots ‘em all down. Hasn’t dated since her husband died, oh, ‘bout seven, eight years ago.” Russell looked down the empty road, rubbed his chin and said, “Jenna? She’s a nice girl, and right pretty, but she ain’t got no use for a beau.”
    “Jake’s dead?” Tres blurted, and then said with a little more reverence, “That’s a shame.”
    Russ shook his head and frowned. “Yeah, you seem right torn up.”
    Tres stared at Russell a moment then shrugged. “Can’t lie to you, Russ. I never liked Jake Austin. And I cannot for the life of me figure out why she married him.”
    “Been plenty of people around these parts wonder the same thing.”
    “If Jenna would just talk to me...” Tres wondered aloud. “If she’d just give me a minute to talk to her. She acts like she’s mad at me.”
    Russell shrugged.
    “Austin probably lied to her. Hard to tell what he had to say to weasel his way into her life,” Tres reasoned.
    “He was known to be a scoundrel, but he was a nice boy. Plenty of ladies found him charming.” Tres scowled. Russ explained, “Just being honest with ya boy. He was good lookin’. Girls liked him.”
    “Then why’d their marriage cause such a stir?”
    “Cause of the timing…but that’s a whole nother long story. Then of course, there’s the way Jake acted after the marriage…that was plenty enough reason to set tongues to wagging…”
    “Acted how?”
    “I shouldn’t say, son. Wrong to speak ill of the dead. I s’pose it’s safe to say, Jenna put up with a lot of foolishness. Did she do it cause she loved him? Or cause she had the boy? Or maybe cause she didn’t have nobody but him and Maureen? She’s always been damned close to her mother-in-law. Still is to this day. Hell, nobody knows the real answers but the girl herself and she ain’t talkin’ to nobody.”
    Tres’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. “Well, before I leave here I plan to know exactly what happened. I won’t let her get away so easily this time.”
    “Well, now, son,” Russ said, chuckling. “You may be barking up an empty tree. You’re a handsome young man and, under most circumstances, I’d wager you’d win over most any lady you set your mind to.” He paused to light a cigarette. “But when Jenna’s involved in the bet? I’d have to keep my money safe in my pocket. The only thing Jenna seems to shy from more than a date is interference in her business. Not only will you not get the girl, I doubt you’ll get a thread of a tale from her either. She